How to survive the nightmares
by Harriet83
Summary: The past is haunting, the present is worse...Nightmares are not pleasant visitors, but a friendly presence can drive them away...


**How to survive the nightmares**

I – Nightmares & Glasses

He rose up from his bed, breathing heavy and clutching his sheet. He slowly let the terror melt away, the heart start beating at his usual pace, the last images of the dream fade away.

"A dream like this…"

With all the things he saw every day, all the darkness he liked to challenge, all the darkest sides of the human heart that he experienced since the beginning of his life…Then why had he been frightened by a dream like that?

The dream hadn't been a real remember…No scene from his past, no known face…

A simple and stupid nightmare, full of blood and cries. Nothing more.

Things like that…He wasn't scared by them anymore. He saw them in every moment. His curse was to bring death and ruin wherever he went, and death and ruin followed him like two faithful dames. So, why that nightmare did scare him so much?

He decided not to think of it anymore. He laid down again, trying to be comfortable and to sleep again.

But sleep didn't come. That stupid images, even more stupid than those of some kind of ghost story to scare children, kept haunting him.

In the end he got up. He decided to go to the kitchen, to drink some water. Just to see if the thoughts could go away and the sleep come back.

"And be careful. There could be a blood-thirsty ghost, round the corner."

He laughed at the thought. So he was really stupid…

He entered the kitchen and closed the door. That place was a mystery for him, and he felt very curious about it. He rapidly found where the recipients full of water were, but couldn't find the glasses.

After searching some minutes without any result, and after cursing in a not very mannered way the glasses that couldn't be found, he decided to open another door, hoping to finally reach his goal.

Behind the door stood some metal recipients.

That decided to fall down, with a terrible crash.

Cain screamed ad cursed the damned things. A moment after, he heard noises in the corridors, and a voice, a very well known voice, that said that he was going to see what happened. Then the door opened.

- Master Cain!-

- Riff…-

He felt a wave of warmth rise to his face and blushed. He bent down, beginning to pick up what had fallen down.

- What were you trying to do?-

- I just wanted to drink some water, but I couldn't find the glasses.- the boy mumbled.

Riff went a moment out, to reassure the other servants it was all ok, then went back in the kitchen and closed the door.

- I will do it all. Please sit, master Cain. I'll bring you the water.-

Cain was obviously very glad to accept. He sat down, and started observing Riff's moves. Something he knew. Something that made him feel sure.

So, he needed to be reassured everything was alright…

Yes. He needed it. Maybe it was because you never get used to some things. And a nightmare's enough, to fall into terror.

- You're really ok, master Cain?-

- Yes. I was just thirsty.-

- Why didn't you wake me up?-

- I didn't want to disturb you just for a glass of water.-

- I would have brought it to you without any problem.-

- I know it.-

- You know what, master Cain…I'm glad you woke me up. I was having a bad dream.-

Cain raised his eyes and looked to the other.

_Is that true?_

No, it wasn't true. He wasn't having any bad dream. He was peacefully sleeping before Cain woke him up with all the noise. But he had understood the reason why Cain needed that glass of water. He had understood that Cain had a nightmare. And wasn't brave enough to admit he was still upset because of it.

So Riff had spoken about dreams…

He suddenly felt full of gratitude. He felt guilty for waking Riff up with his clumsiness.

- I wasn't having a very pleasant dream either, Riff.- he said, finally smiling.

II – Cain's amusements

- Where's master Cain?-

- In the other room, with his father.-

What? His father?

But…But Master Cain is not a child anymore and his father…Isn't he dead? He should be dead…And if he is dead, how can it be he is here?

- Don't you remember? His father's alive.-

He's alive…he's alive…But…but why on Earth master Cain is with him?

- Where are you going, Riff? You'll never reach them.-

- Why?-

- Because they're on the other side of the house. And there is the abyss, in the middle. Don't you remember?-

- And how…how could they pass?-

- They could. You won't.-

But I…I must go!

- Go, if you want to fall.-

- Where are the servants? Won't you all help me?-

- What servants are you talking about? You're the only one left. There's nothing you can do.-

But I must go, I must go! I can't leave him…I must…I…

- NO!-

No, there wasn't any abyss in the middle of the house, and the servants were almost a hundred. And master Cain's father was hiding somewhere in London. And master Cain was sleeping in his room, peacefully, at least him!

Riff took a deep breath, trying to calm down. A simple nightmare. Vivid and cruel as any other nightmare in the world.

That damned hurt…sure that dream came from that… If Cain had only been careful…No, he had to work with his usual nonchalance, and he ended up breaking that vial, pouring the poison it contained on the floor. So he hurt his hand with the glass, and he laughed at Riff's care. It was nothing, he wasn't going to die! Two days, and it would have been gone.

But Riff wasn't convinced of it. And the night had revealed the fears he had tried to conceal during the day.

He said to himself that he should have slept, leaving the thought go. He couldn't permit himself any tiredness. In his last days there had been more knives to avoid than shoes to tie.

Finally he found the comfort he needed. He closed his eyes, trying to fall back into the sleep…

And the door opened.

- Riff!-

Riff was out of the bed less than a second after his entrance.

- Master Cain! Are you alright?-

- Yes. Sorry to wake you. It's just…Well…My wound hurt a bit and I wanted you to see it.-

Yeah. In Cain's language "it hurt a bit" meant he couldn't sleep for the pain. Riff went a little pale, and told the boy to follow him.

He took Cain in the room next to his, where he kept a little studio to help the inhabitants of the house, with his medical knowledge. He made Cain sit and took the bandage from the hurt.

- Master Cain, I'm afraid that poison infected the hurt! But are you sure that…-

- That I won't be dying in pain? Oh, Riff, can't you just trust me? It wasn't a deadly potion. It's not meant to bring death at all.-

- And then, what is it?-

- A sort of experiment.- mumbled Cain, unwilling to talk about his dangerous amusements with not very innocuous substances.

- Master Cain…I have to…To let the infected blood out of the wound. I'm sorry.-

- Don't be silly, Riff. I'm not going to cry. Be fast. I want to come back to bed.-

Riff went on with his work. He couldn't avoid the feeling of rage against himself and uselessness that filled him when he saw the pain on Cain's face. He couldn't bear to see him suffer, for any reason, even for a simple thing like that.

He then tended and bandaged his master's hand again.

- Now it should be ok, master Cain. Once the pain is gone, you will be able to sleep again.-

- Thank you, Riff.-

- Do you want me to help you?-

- I won't lose myself in the corridors. I can do alone.-

- I know it, but…-

- There's no assassin waiting to kill me.-

- Assassin?-

- Oh…well…It must be something I dreamt of.-

- Did you have a bad dream, master Cain?-

- No, don't worry. Go to sleep.-

Any other word was useless. Riff waited for Cain to get out of the room, then went back to bed, hoping that his master's visit would not bring other bad dreams.

It wasn't the end of the nightmare, that woke him up, this time, but the scream coming from a well known room. He tossed the covers away and ran towards Cain's bedroom.

- Master Cain!-

He slammed the door wide open and entered.

- Riff…- mumbled the boy in the bed – Are you ok?-

- I'm alright, but I heard you screaming!-

- Oh. it's nothing. Just another nightmare. I'm sorry, tonight I'm a real nuisance.-

- Don't say that!- Riff reached the bed. – Is your hand alright?-

- Yes. Now go to bed.-

- I'm going. Call me whenever you need.-

- Yeah.- mumbled the other, sounding vaguely annoyed. Like he really wanted to be left alone soon.

Riff left the room, wandering what was in his mind. He didn't seem scared not sad…But there was something strange…

He came back to his bed and soon was asleep.

- Oh, now, stop it!-

After the third nightmare he decided to leave the bed. He lit a lamp and made his bed. He dressed up and sat down, taking a book, and hoping the morning would come soon.

This time it was a mysterious sound, that made him run to the well known room. Like the thump of something falling down…

He flung himself in Cain's bedroom, and ran to the count's bed. Cain was on the floor, imprisoned in his sheet…And he seemed really annoyed to be seen in a similar situation. When Riff saw there was no danger, he couldn't help a smile to show.

- Master Cain, what's up?-

- Nothing.- answered the other, keeping on his desperate and useless tries to get free from the sheet.

- Why are you on the floor?-

- Riff, did anyone tell you you're not supposed to ask embarrassing questions?- screamed Cain. Riff hid a laughter in a cough, and Cain didn't like this very much.

- Would you please help me, instead of laughing?- he screamed, trying to regain some authority.

- I'm sorry.- Riff answered, and then helped him out.

Soon Cain was free. He sat on the bed and tried to put the covers back in their place.

- Thank you. I'm alright. Go.-

- Did you have another nightmare?-

- Well…- The count took a breath. – Nightmares never killed anyone, right?-

Riff sat close to him.

- Master Cain, I think your hurt haunted our dreams. I'm having nightmares too. I've had them all night long.-

If there had been light in the room, Riff could have seen Cain's face become red.

- No…well…er…It…It's not the hurt. It's…You know…You know when I broke the vial and the potion fell on the floor?-

- Yes. Your experiment.-

- That. Well, it's a substance that should provoke nightmares and hallucinations.-

- What?-

- So it works. It has been enough to inhale it, to be victims of it. But I thought it would have worked on somebody who was awake. Maybe the potion started its effect on us, at the moment when we were asleep, when our mind was frail.-

Riff felt tempted to say something not really kind about poisons and strange people who were amused by playing with them, but then he didn't. He was somehow relieved that all the night suggestions were only the effect of a potion.

- Master Cain, how long will this last?-

- So the nightmares were really bad?-

Riff thought about it a moment, and felt again those sensations…

- Yes, definitely.-

- Don't worry. Tomorrow the effect should be over.-

Then a pale sun ray found its way through the room and entered, showing clearly Riff's serious face and Cain's vaguely ashamed expression.

- It's dawning, master Cain. Do you want to try to sleep a bit more?-

- No, thanks.-

- So what do you think you'll do, so early?-

- I don't know. Maybe we could order the room of my collection. We let everything there, when I broke the vial and hurt my hand.-

- For me, it's alright. I'll help you with your clothes.-

When Cain was ready, he started treading towards his beloved room. But Riff was hit by a doubt…

- Master Cain. Yesterday we didn't clean that thing out. I mean, your hallucinating potion.-

- You're right.- Cain stood a moment in thought, with an expression that would have been funny in any other moment. – That means we're going to suffer the effect for another day or two.-

Riff felt the need to curse all the poisons of the world, but only shook his head.

- Fine.-

- Riff, you're not obliged to come with me. I can do by myself.-

- I don't want to know what you could do, alone. I better come.-

- You'll have nightmares, tomorrow night.-

- Well, we could decide not to sleep at all, tomorrow night. I could teach you how to saw a tear, or how to make a pudding. What about it?-

- Riff, have you become suddenly funny?- He was smiling, and Riff smiled back.

- Living with you is an adventure, master Cain. And it can be also very funny.-

"And sometimes it can be very hard. And so damn painful. But it's alright."

Riff followed his master into his mysterious and unusual secret place.

**The End**

English is not my first language, and neither my second, I'm afraid…Anyway, posting my stories here is a way to improve my English. So I ask you all to forgive any error or wrong use of words and grammar, and I thank anyone who decided to read this!

Dedicated to my friend, E.

Some days ago we slept in the same room – we were at a spiritual meeting together – and I had a bad dream. Very bad. I felt so relieved when I could tell her, the following morning! And the second night, I heard her moaning in her sleep, and I went close to her bed, thinking if it was better to wake her up…Then she calmed down, but in the morning she thanked me for the thought I had had to wake her.

So…I thought about nightmares, and how I hate them, and how free I feel after telling somebody I trust…And I remembered that the nightmare theme is one of the most used in the Hakushaku Cain manga and in its fandom.

And the fic came out.

If you want to find me, I'm here: yumemihotmail.it


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